Karen’s Unpacking from 2024 European Adventure! 35 Days with a 8-9kg Cotopaxi 35L

[@loracope4175]

Enjoyed your video. What brand of dry sack, water bottle and merino clothes do you use?

[@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight]

@@loracope4175 Dry bags: Sea to Summit, Wise Owl. Backpacks: Cotopaxi. We have BeFree water bottles. I have a variety of wool clothing. Woolx, Wool&, Icebreaker, Woolly, Branwyn, Darn Tough and items I find at resale shops and don’t always know the brand.

[@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight]

@@loracope4175 HydraPak Stow (1L, 32oz) - Collapsible Water Bottle - Ultralight & Packable Travel Bottle, Flexible Ski, Hike, Bike or Climb Squeeze Flask - Mammoth Grey a.co/d/7KXSA3Y

[@loracope4175]

@@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight We are die hard Darn Tough family. Thanks.

[@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight]

The hydrapak water bottle I took was 500 ml and my husband had a 2L. hydrapak.com/products/stow-500-ml-2021?variant=38956995805335

[@keniaenriquez8080]

How comfortable was carrying the backpack fully loaded everyday? Is the carrying system good enough? I am thinking about getting that bag. I currently have an Osprey Fairview 40L which is so good for carrying weight but doesn’t have organization pockets at all. But Osprey is so good for using their hike pack system into travel bags. I am afraid to switch.

[@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight]

My husband says “I barely knew it was there.” I was never uncomfortable and found it easy to carry. The longest walk we had was only a little over an hour in Florence and several 30-40 minute walks to get from train stations to airbnbs and back. I was comfortable going up and down steps and in and out of trains/planes. I’m only 5’ tall so had to cinch the chest buckle all the way. It is almost too long for me. The hip belt raises it up so the shoulder straps are an inch or two too tall. The arm straps were nearly fully cinched. If you can, try to find a place that carries it, take a load of stuff you want to pack with you, try it out. That’s what I did at the Madison REI. How a backpack fits and feels is really based on individual body shape.

[@keniaenriquez8080]

@@KarenandBradStoriesNFlight thank you for replying. I will check my local REI and see how it feels.